New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-18
PRICE THREE CENTS.
A BURGLAR IN THE MUSEUM.
TWO VALUABLE GOLD BRACELETS STOLEN.


CASE BROKEN OPEN LAST THURsDAY-A WATCH
NAN WHO saw NOTHING.
The Metropolitan Museum Of Art has sustained
serious loss through bold and successful robbery
which was perpetrated three days ago. but
which was only made known yesterday.
On Thursday morning between 10 and II o'clock
a thief pried open one Of the cases that contains
some Of the most highly priced portions of tho
famous collection dug up at Kunum. Cyprus. by
General dI Cesuola. and carried away Q pair Of
solid gold bracelets. the most valuable articles
the case. Thor intrinsic worth is estimated at
about 81 ,000 but from an archaeological or anti
quaran point Of view their value is almost incal-
cuable.
The Kurium collection as is generally known,
Is perhaps the rarest and most valuable of all the
articles found at Cyprus. IL includes the official
seal Of Thormes Ill, . King of Egypt. who con-
quered Cyprus about l4O0 years b c.;
Babyonian cylinders or records of fine stone
which Rawlnson and Ssyce refer to dates
270O. 800 and $500 years ago; Q gold
armiet Of q King of Paphos. and multitude
of other precious objects that placed votve
offerings In the unknown temple at KurIum which
it was the Generals good fortune to discover.
These bracelets are believed to be ar least 2,700
years old. Ihelr Singular beauty has long made
them objects Of admiration to the most casual OBJ
their original ownership on the part of scaoars
and archDoiogists. They were Of s,Id gold, abous
four inches III diameter. richly carved and studded
with all manner Of precious g,ms
In the same compartment with them were other
bracelets and personal Jewelry OF less value none
OF which was mo ested This. It is believed indi-
Gates that the thief had another motive than tast
of obtaining the money ne could get for the brace
lets after melting them down. Their Antiquarian
va ue. he doubtless believed. would Gauss heavy
ransom to be paid tor them; at least 50 the Museum
authorizes think.
The robbery occurred In broad daylight, with
the waichmen a. on duty. 1t is known TO have
taken place between the hours mentioned. because
IT 10 o'clock each morning all the cases are cleaned
or busted by the employees. Au hour
later the custodian Of tho building
goes through each gallery to see that
the work sdone properly Everything was all right.
the Museum officials declare. at 10 O'clock
Thursday morning. At II o'c0ck reporter Of The
Commercial ddrortisr and another gentleman, who
happened 10 be IN the Museum al the tlme disc0v.
cred the broken case and reported It, The custo-
dian and the Others "a onarye were greatly
their efforts to catch the thief, and at their
request, il seems. nothinQ sad about 1t until
yesieid " when the reporter wrote Orlef account
VI toe matter.
This seemed TO have paralvsng effect upon the
Museum people Curator ilaIl. TO whom the article
was first shown at rhe Mu-euul refused to say
W ether General dl CesnoIa was or wa. not in his
Office He took the slip. however. and dlsappea
inside the 0aa%a saying mat ts as "0I,a rsports
In about half an hour he reappeared
saying that General d. CesnoIa YOU Il not be seen.
ON the subject himself promising his remarks by
deprec lting that anything had been prnted on tho
mater.
he said stood 10 the upper southern ga ery, toward
the east eud. II Is horzO tai. about eRh, feet
long, and It's glass cover Is. or father WAS secured
by three locks. at each I'd and one in the CEN
ire. Mono of these had been picked The lid had
simply been pried open with jimmy, marks ot
which cou d be seen. All four watch en- who
guard the inside Of the building. Mr. Hall aided.
were OH duty at the tune and one 0f them was
actually ~ the west end Of the southern gallery. le
was done adIotly that it was thought none other
thanls professional thief could have accomplIshedi it
In the limited time he had Whether this case. ike
the orbcrs-or at least as they are supposed
to be was connected by an electric burglar alarm
| with Police Headquarters Dir. Hall declined to
say. -,
covered Mr.. Hall SAID be could not answer this
question or give any information as to what steps
nat been taken to apprehend the thief. -,
continued. but don't visa 70 say
Shsther INSPECTOR Byrnes's services haye
our u eos A. all snS I'm sSrry
anythiDG has been said"
as this toe first loss of the kind that the Mu-
Nj. Hall thought for sone time before replying.
At last he said thar he believed 1t was A great
robbery had been planned some years ago. but TINS
had been frustrated by the vigi ance OF the
Museum custodian and his assistants. ln suhse-
quent conversation Mr.. Hall conveyed the idea
that be thought the thief belonged 10 one of The
Yorkvile gangs that frequent the Park great
deal
A further effort was made to see General di
Cesnoa and obtain from him some def
nile information as 70 what protection
the Museum really had against thieves
and burglars, but although il was generally under:
stood tnat he was in the building MT Hall declared
that he would be sem. he also refused To
allow the broken to be examined